THis thread will be dedicated to those baseball players that were hyped to be the next best thing, the next Mickey Mantle. The can't miss phenom tht went on to choke and not do much of anything. I could and want to name 5 right here but I'll see if you guys can name them.

Mine was actually with the Chicago Whitesox briefly during the 89 season.

Billy Jo Robidoux

ScottyTheSoxFan

12-31-2003, 10:28 PM

well scott ruffcorn was pretty bad for us.

russ branyan CLE
calvin pickering BAL

Jerko

12-31-2003, 10:31 PM

Joe Charbonneau from Cleveland and a couple ex Cubs, Brooks Keishnick and I forget the other guy's name. Ty something or other, played 2nd and I think was on USA Olympic team a few years back. Ty Griffin maybe? I can't remember his last name.

ChiWhiteSox1337

12-31-2003, 11:05 PM

what about todd van poppel? my dad told me they used to have magazines with him on the cover along with nolan ryan

duke of dorwood

12-31-2003, 11:08 PM

Bee Bee Richard

RKMeibalane

12-31-2003, 11:11 PM

Shawn Abner
Brien Taylor
David Neid

Frater Perdurabo

01-01-2004, 12:14 AM

Kevin Maas

Kevin Orie

Jerome Walton

Frater Perdurabo

01-01-2004, 12:15 AM

Earl Cunningham

WinningUgly!

01-01-2004, 12:23 AM

Bill Pulsipher, Jason Isringhausen and Paul Wilson.

Daver

01-01-2004, 12:33 AM

Mark Johnson

Jason Dallero

Aaron Rowand

All Sox first round picks,all busts.

Thank you Ron Schueler.

RKMeibalane

01-01-2004, 12:59 AM

Kenny Williams

Brian26

01-01-2004, 02:47 AM

Originally posted by Frater Perdurabo
Earl Cunningham

Ha. Great name from the past. Saw him with the Peoria Chiefs in August of 1990 when I was a freshman at Bradley.

( :D: A little play on Daver's "Valentine doesn't play for the Sox" posts)

SaltyPretzel

01-01-2004, 03:30 AM

Jerry Don Gleaton

StillMissOzzie

01-01-2004, 03:47 AM

Originally posted by mike squires

Mine was actually with the Chicago Whitesox briefly during the 89 season.

Billy Jo Robidoux

The classic definition of a AAAA player. I saw this guy play for the Vancouver Canadians when they were the Sox' AAA team after he got sent down. The VC lost something like 5-2, but those 2 were solo shots by BJR to straightaway center.

SMO

TommyJohn

01-01-2004, 05:38 AM

Joel Skinner.

Tim Hullett. I remember thinking he'd be terrific.

Ron Jackson. Was the Sox' power hitter of the future in the 1950's.

Dave Nicholson. Ditto, 1960's.

Kevin Bell. Bad. Just bad.

Cisco Carlos. Pitching phenom of the future, was one of the
1968 rookies featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
4 wins and 14 losses later, he was gone.

mike squires

01-01-2004, 05:40 AM

Originally posted by SaltyPretzel
Jerry Don Gleaton

AH, the Gleatonmister~I remember a game in 89 I went to...I was able to get his picture with him down in the tunnell off old Comiskey. He was actually supposed to be good huh?

mike squires

01-01-2004, 05:42 AM

Originally posted by mike squires
AH, the Gleatonmister~I remember a game in 89 I went to...I was able to get his picture with him down in the tunnell off old Comiskey. He was actually supposed to be good huh?

Actually, I'm confused. I checked my media guide and he played with the Sox in 84 and 85. IT was Tom MCcarthy that I got the pic with. Yet another Whitesox bum nontheless.

His name was dropped as the "must-have prospect" in every rumored Spankee trade, then when he finally was traded.....pphhhht.....nothing

PaleHoseGeorge

01-01-2004, 10:02 AM

Carlos Martinez. A firstbasemen with a utility infielder's bat, though "a gifted athlete." Another perfect mediocrity for the Sox of the late-80's.

hose

01-01-2004, 10:42 AM

Originally posted by Brian26
Jason Dallero was never a White Sox first round draft pick.

Jason Dellaero was.

( :D: A little play on Daver's "Valentine doesn't play for the Sox" posts)

touche :cool:

poorme

01-01-2004, 10:47 AM

there are a million guys. Limiting it to the White Sox, I think the player who did the least with the most was Daryl Boston.

PaleHoseGeorge

01-01-2004, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by poorme
there are a million guys. Limiting it to the White Sox, I think the player who did the least with the most was Daryl Boston.

I saw him make a catch in full stride just as he reached the Old Comiskey foul line seats in left field. He landed in the third row. Other than that, my God did he suck.

:cool:

whitesoxwilkes

01-01-2004, 10:56 AM

Sox: Hate to say it, but I gotta go with Joe Borchard. Is it me or has he just vanished?

MLB: Pete Incaviglia

jabrch

01-01-2004, 11:09 AM

Henesley "Bam Bam" Muellens

Brian26

01-01-2004, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by PaleHoseGeorge
Carlos Martinez. A firstbasemen with a utility infielder's bat, though "a gifted athlete." Another perfect mediocrity for the Sox of the late-80's.

Carlos actually contributed to that 1990 team for the first half of the season. I remember him coming through with some clutch hits, and he could play first or either of the corner outfield positions.

Brian26

01-01-2004, 11:55 AM

Originally posted by whitesoxwilkes
Sox: Hate to say it, but I gotta go with Joe Borchard. Is it me or has he just vanished?

I think we'll have a very good indication after this upcoming Spring Training. Last I heard, he needed to shorten his swing.

SoxxoS

01-01-2004, 12:32 PM

Billy Beane.

pearso66

01-01-2004, 01:01 PM

how about the cant miss prospect, Drew Henson

Deadguy

01-01-2004, 02:19 PM

Bill Ashley and Brien Taylor.

I believe Brien Taylor was the first draftee to ever receive a 1 million dollar bonus for signing with the Yankees.

He was a pretty good prospect until he busted up his shoulder in a barroom brawl.

Deadguy

01-01-2004, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by Jerko
Ty something or other, played 2nd and I think was on USA Olympic team a few years back. Ty Griffin maybe? I can't remember his last name.

I remember he used to have an apt. by University street when he played for the Peoria Chiefs. You can tell which apt. building he lived in because parked right out in front of it was a very expensive looking car with the licence plate "Ty Griffin".

Dadawg_77

01-01-2004, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by SoxxoS
Billy Beane.

So true and also help make a very good gm as he hates drafting players like himself.

I remember seeing a card with Royce Clayton that said Sensational Rookie. Of course I had a friend who said it best.....Sensationalized Rookie. It seemed like Topps would put it on anyone in hopes they made it big.

oheeoh...magglio

01-01-2004, 03:08 PM

I'm young, so I can't come up with any classic names, but my 2 winners are Jamie Navarro and Royce Clayton.

DirtySouthsider

01-01-2004, 03:19 PM

Kip Wells....out of all the highly touted pitching prospects the Sox had I thought he was the can't miss. But he was traded and proved to be very average.

How about the hype that Ozzie Canseco bought just because he was Jose's little brother???

Brian26

01-01-2004, 07:46 PM

I've got the name to end all names...

Von Hayes.

Remember the trade between Cleveland and Philadelphia for this guy?

From Baseballlibrary.com:

December 9, 1982: The Phillies trade 2B Manny Trillo, OF George Vukovich, SS Julio Franco, catcher Jerry Willard, and pitcher Jay Baller to the Indians for 24-year-old OF Von Hayes. Hayes hit .250 with 14 home runs and 32 SBs for Cleveland last season and is considered a potential star.

RKMeibalane

01-01-2004, 11:12 PM

Originally posted by Joel Perez
How about the hype that Ozzie Canseco bought just because he was Jose's little brother???

IIRC, Jose and Ozzie are actually twins, and Ozzie is two minutes older than his brother. Weird, huh?

doublem23

01-01-2004, 11:57 PM

Chris Snopek was a whole lot of nothing.

RKMeibalane

01-02-2004, 12:03 AM

Originally posted by doublem23
Chris Snopek was a whole lot of nothing.

The Sox have had a large number of players who just never panned out. This organization is setting records for futility.

doublem23

01-02-2004, 12:07 AM

Originally posted by RKMeibalane
The Sox have had a large number of players who just never panned out. This organization is setting records for futility.

Meh, every team has busts. The Sox's problem isn't that they don't produce enough big talent from within, but don't fill holes from the outside. I mean, how many guys on the Yankees starting nine were brought up in that organization? 3? 4?

RKMeibalane

01-02-2004, 12:20 AM

Originally posted by doublem23
Meh, every team has busts. The Sox's problem isn't that they don't produce enough big talent from within, but don't fill holes from the outside. I mean, how many guys on the Yankees starting nine were brought up in that organization? 3? 4?

Let's see...

Derek Jeter
Alfonso Soriano
Bernie Williams
Jorge Posada

The Sox, on the other hand, have the following players in their lineup:

Frank Thomas
Magglio Ordonez
Carlos Lee
Joe Crede
Miguel Olivo

I think you're right. The Sox have had several players from within their own minor league system that have been successful at the Major League level. However, as you pointed out, the Sox have done less to sign free-agents than other clubs.

Another issue to consider is that the Sox have also done less to cover their collective rear ends when a player doesn't work out. Instead of finding a replacement for the player in question, they just stand by and let things fall apart. The situation involving Todd Ritchie is a perfect example. Rather than trying to find a way to fix that problem, the Sox sent him out to the mound every five days, because management was too stubborn to admit that they made a mistake.

A team like the Yankees would have cut Ritchie at the first sign of trouble. Of course, the Yankees do have a much larger payroll, so they can afford to eat the contracts of players who haven't been productive. But, as has been discussed many times, everyone knows who has the final say on the size of the Sox payroll.

:reinsy

"Why are you looking at me?"

pearso66

01-02-2004, 12:27 AM

actually, Olivo wasn't brought up through our organization. Granted he did play minor league ball for us, he was brought in in the Chad Bradford trade from Oakland

RKMeibalane

01-02-2004, 12:38 AM

Originally posted by pearso66
actually, Olivo wasn't brought up through our organization. Granted he did play minor league ball for us, he was brought in in the Chad Bradford trade from Oakland

You're right. I forgot about that. Thanks for correcting me.

nasox

01-02-2004, 01:07 AM

Originally posted by pearso66
actually, Olivo wasn't brought up through our organization. Granted he did play minor league ball for us, he was brought in in the Chad Bradford trade from Oakland

What do you all think will happen to Olivo? Will he learn how to hit and become great or will he become a bust? Opinions, etc...

I hate putting Kittle in that category because he was one of the main reasons I became a Sox fan in the early 80's and he'll always hold a special place for me, but I have never seen a sure-fire Hall of Famer disappear faster than him.

BKozi

01-02-2004, 01:11 AM

I forgot to mention, the amazing thing about the guys I have listed is they were all former Rookies of the Year.

TornLabrum

01-02-2004, 01:18 AM

Originally posted by BKozi
I've got a few of them: Todd Hollandsworth, Pat Listach, "The Hammer" Bob Hamelin, and Ron Kittle.

I hate putting Kittle in that category because he was one of the main reasons I became a Sox fan in the early 80's and he'll always hold a special place for me, but I have never seen a sure-fire Hall of Famer disappear faster than him.

Sure fire Hall-of-Famer? You've got to be joking!

Kittle's fade was due to a back injury (iirc) that ended up debilitating him more than the broken neck he received while still in the minors and the broken leg he got from the O's in the '83 playoffs.

BKozi

01-02-2004, 01:37 AM

Originally posted by TornLabrum
Sure fire Hall-of-Famer? You've got to be joking!

Kittle's fade was due to a back injury (iirc) that ended up debilitating him more than the broken neck he received while still in the minors and the broken leg he got from the O's in the '83 playoffs.

Take it easy, dude. It's called sarcasm. I apologize if my memory is a little hazy on his sting of injuries but I was 8 in 1983. The only point that I was trying to make is that he had a monster rookie season, a decent second season, and then he disappeared.

doublem23

01-02-2004, 01:45 AM

Originally posted by pearso66
actually, Olivo wasn't brought up through our organization. Granted he did play minor league ball for us, he was brought in in the Chad Bradford trade from Oakland

Oh yeah, White Sox....Dave Gallagher and Melido Perez in the same year.

Paulwny

01-02-2004, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by RKMeibalane
Let's see...

Derek Jeter
Alfonso Soriano
Bernie Williams
Jorge Posada

Soriano was playing ball in Japan when the yanks signed him. Many mlb teams were after him but, he went to the highest bidder. Even though he played in the yank farm system he's not exactly home grown.

MarqSox

01-02-2004, 11:05 AM

I can't believe nobody has mentioned one of the great Sox busts in recent memory.

Mike Caruso

Joe Hall also comes to mind as being an over-hyped bust. He only ended up playing like 15 games for the Sox or something, but that was due to a broken leg he suffered on the left field sideline track at Comiskey in the early 90s, so I'll cut him some slack.

And Jon Garland is on his way toward the bust category. He's still young enough to recover, but at this point, he's little more than an average pitcher. But I give him about two more years before he's officially a bust — he's still only what, 24? And at least he's a respectable fourth starter.

Jess1210

01-02-2004, 01:22 PM

What Scott Ruffcorn, a pitching prospect from the '90's? I remember having a Topps card of him claiming he was a player to watch. He went nowhere fast!

A. Cavatica

01-02-2004, 09:23 PM

The obvious ones have been mentioned. Anyone remember Ricky Seilheimer?

fquaye149

01-02-2004, 10:17 PM

Originally posted by RKMeibalane

Brien Taylor

i remember his stadium club rookie card used to be worth like 15 bucks

ChiSox14305635

01-03-2004, 03:42 AM

Tyler Houston.

Meixner007

01-03-2004, 03:43 AM

Originally posted by ChiSox14305635
Tyler Houston.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, there's a name from the past.

hillbilly

01-03-2004, 04:02 AM

Without a doubt, cecil fielder belongs on this list because he averaged like 45 HR's for 4 years, along with the guy from the cubs (maybe doug discenzo) who hit 3 bombs on opening day.....i know im worng with discenzo but i couldnt think of anyone elses name.

RKMeibalane

01-03-2004, 04:28 AM

Originally posted by hillbilly
Without a doubt, cecil fielder belongs on this list because he averaged like 45 HR's for 4 years, along with the guy from the cubs (maybe doug discenzo) who hit 3 bombs on opening day.....i know im worng with discenzo but i couldnt think of anyone elses name.

Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes

StillMissOzzie

01-03-2004, 05:17 AM

Originally posted by PaleHoseGeorge
Carlos Martinez. A firstbasemen with a utility infielder's bat, though "a gifted athlete." Another perfect mediocrity for the Sox of the late-80's.

Back when the Sox were trying to get their stadium built in Addison, they had various Sox reps making a tour of the neighborhood bars to talk up the planned stadium. I got to talk to Jim Fregosi and Herm Schneider, and Fregosi told me to my face that "...this kid can play...." when I asked him about Martinez, who IIRC, they had just acquired in a trade.

I guess Carlos had 'em all fooled. But I still have an autographed hat from Fregosi.

SMO
:gulp:

ode to veeck

01-03-2004, 12:16 PM

A couple who weren't at all busts, bums or chokers, but maybe somewhat faded from the initial very high hopes of Sox fans everywhere:

Carlos May after he blew half his thumb off--he still had a pretty decent career, but before the injury he seemed to hold a lot more promise.

As much as he still remains one of my favorites, Kittle might also be in this category, especially after his '83 1st half rookie season when he blasted 30 HRs by the all-star break. Scouting founding his weaknesses on certain pitches by midseason and injuries helped make his 35 that year his personal peak. I still remember a roof roof shot he blasted over my head above the left field 2nd deck.

Frank Thomas is the one prospect who lived up to his hype and easily escaped this category ... his 1st four seasons still stand out as unparalleled in many ways and we'll never know how he might have ended up the '94 season or how he wouda starred in the playoffs that year.

longshot7

01-03-2004, 04:26 PM

Originally posted by RKMeibalane
Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes

Hey! He tied the single-season HR record in Japan.

dickallen15

01-03-2004, 04:43 PM

How about a guy with Hall of Fame talent that was average, and spent time dosing at Comiskey Park? I nominate Claudell Washington.

Originally posted by munchman33
Remember when Lyle Mouton was the next Frank Thomas?

LOL! That's even worse than when the Cardinals thought Royce Clayton was the next Ozzie Smith.

:hitless

"You mean that I wasn't?"

Harry Chappas Jr

01-05-2004, 10:39 AM

How about Brad Komminsk of the Braves in the 80's? This guy put up "monster" numbers every year in the minors but never did a thing in "the Show."

Bill Almon was a number one overall pick for San Diego in the 70's, I think he qualifies.

How about Randy Bass of the Brewers? This guy hit a ton of homers in AAA and never realized his full potential.

Ariel Prieto was an over-hyped Cuban refugee who was gonna be the next Luis Tiant. Instead, he became the next Cy Acosta.

Butch Metzger won the NL co-Rookie of the year in (I think) 1976 as a pitcher for the Padres. What happened to him?

CubKilla

01-05-2004, 11:53 AM

Another ex-Sox..... Brooks Kieschnik (sp?)

chosk8

01-05-2004, 12:28 PM

Turk Wendell was highly touted in the Braves organization. I think a lot of it was due to his antics in between innings, like brushing his teeth and chewing on those huge wads of licorice. Also doing a jumping pirouette over the foul line as he ran on and off the field. The dude was a knucklehead back in the day. I think he finally realized his antics would only get him so far and he would have to perform if he wanted to stay in the bigs.

Sell Jerry Sell!

01-07-2004, 12:20 PM

What about the great Mario Valdez from the mid to late 90's. He was the guy the made Frank a full time DH